Priming mixture



Patented June1 1, 1'9'35 was BRIMING MIXTURE Willi Briin, Bridgeport, Conn assignor to RemmgtonArms Company, Inc., a corporation of Delaware No Drawing,

'7v Claims.

l tion between the fuel and the oxidizing ingredient, which reactionis productive of a flame of sufficient heat and intensity to ignite the propellant powder. Mercury fulminate, however, is undesirable by reason of its high cost, its poisonous character, and the facility with which it enters into slow reactionvwith otherwise very desirable oxidizers and fuels, and with mixturecontainer metals. For these reasons, certain priming compositions of current manufacture have wholly or in part replaced mercuryfulminate with orcuric compositions. This compound is a derivative of diazo-amino-tetra zole, particularly the copper-ammonium-salt of diazo-amino-tetrazole of the composition C4N22CUs(NI-Is) 2, and the prob- This compound may be prepared as follows: The primary sodium salt of 'diazo aminotetrazole is first prepared by the reaction of a 59 solution of sodium nitrite on a cold solution or ganic nitro compounds, such as normal lead- Application Mach- 15 1933, Serial No. 660,857 J amino-guanidine-nitrate and sodium acetate, containing glacial acetic acid. Toa neutralized solution of this sodium salt is added an excess of cupric acetate. This causes the precipitation of the copper salt, which is filtered and washedlwith 5 dilute acetic acid. The addition or ammonia changes this amorphous copper salt to a crystalline copper ammonium salt.

This copper ammonium salthas been found a highly useful-sensitizer for priming mixtures'generally, and particularly for mixtures of the noncorrosive typeQ- Its use in conjunction with a lead styphnate is illustrated by the following:

Normal or basic lead styphnate C o p p e r ammonium salt of diazo-amino-tetrazole 30% to 50% preferred 40% 1% to 5% preferred 2% Lead nitrate to 40% preferred Lead sulphocyanate 5% to 15% referred 8% Abrasive. 10% to 20% preferred 20% The above formulas are merely illustrative. The copper-ammonium-rsalt of diam-amino tetrazole may be used in conjunction with a wide variety of explosives, oxidizers and explosive and inexplosive fuels. Prominent among suitable explosives'is basic lead styphnate, particularly the recently discovered red crystalline modification thereof, which may partially or entirely replace 0 the normal lead styphnate in the above and other formulas. Other explosives which may be used singly or in Various combinations among themselves and with the lead styphnates include diazodinitrophenol, mono-basic and di-basic lead picrate, lead azide, basic lead azide, and lead methylene di-iso-nitroamine. Special mention is made of mercury fulminate, since by its use it becomes possible to eliminate the abrasive, such 40 N luI +2N'Hi V as'glass, ordinarily required in mixtures not containing abrasive fuels.

Suitablefuels include, in addition to the Wellknown lead sulphocyanate, antimony sulphide orrice and calcium silicide, such explosive fuels as the mono-basic and di-basic lead salts of 2-4 and 3-5 dinitro-benzoic acid, the mono-basic and di-basic lead salts of 3-5 dinitro-ortho-cresol, the monobasic and di-basic lead salts of B-nitrO-phthalic acid, and the normal and basic lead salts of dinitro-salicylic acid, as well as the powders of metals such as zirconium.

Suitable oxidizers include both normal and basic lead and other nitrates such as barium nitrate, as well as chromates, permanganates, oxides and peroxides.

Typical mixtures are as follows:

Copper ammonium salt diazo-amino-tetrazole Lead styphnate- Basic lead styphnatei. Diazodinitrophenol Basic lead picrate Lead peroxide Lead nitrate Barium nitrat Lead dinitrosalicylate Basic lead dinitroben- Abrasive 25 The use of the copper-ammonium salt of diaz oamino-tetrazole in priming mixtures being broadly new, the appended claims are to be broadly construed.

What is claimed is:

1. An ammunition priming composition containing a copper-ammonium salt of diazo-amino tetrazole; and an explosive or explosive fuel selected from the class consisting of mercury fulminate, lead styphnate, basic lead styphnate, diazodinitrophenol, mono-basic and di-basic lead 2,004,719 j i V I tetrazole, a lead styphnate,

picrate, lead azide, basic lead azide, lead methylene di-iso-m'troamine, a lead dinitro-salicylate, a lead dinitro-benzoate, a lead dinitro-ortho-cresylate, and a lead nitro-phthalate.-

2. An ammunition priming composition containing a copper-ammonium salt of diazo-aminotetrazole, and a lead styphnate. 3. An ammunition priming composition containing a copper ammonium salt of diazo-aminotetrazole, a lead styphnate, and a suitable oxidizer.

4. An ammunition priming composition containing a copper-ammonium salt of diazo-aminolead nitrate, and lead sulp-hocyanate.

5. An ammunition priming composition comprising substantially Copper ammonium salt of diazoamin-tetrazo1e 1% to 5% Normal orbasic lead'styphnate 30% to 50% Lead nitrate 25% to 40% 5% to Lead sulphocyanate. Abrasive 10% to 6; .An ammunition priming composition comprising "substantially Copper ammonium (salt 1 of diaz o-amilio tetrazole 2% Normal or basic lead styphnatm 40% Lead nitrate; 30% Leadsulphocyanatd; j 8% Abrasive 20% '7. An ammunition priming composition con-' taining a combustion initiator, andua copper ammonium salt of diazo-amino-tetrazole, said copper ammonium salt being present .in an amount not greater than 6%. l 1

' i WILLI BRt'INr 

